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Anyone might be able to tell me what's going on with my hive?

I've been having issues with this hive since day one. It's my only hive. I really wish that I would have started with two. I think it would have made things a lot easier. I did a hive inspection yesterday. I didn't see my queen and I didn't really notice any eggs, though I'm not that good at finding them yet. I did find some larvae that looked like they were just a few days old though. Last week during my inspection I had an ok number of capped worker cells and this week there doesn't really seem to be hardly any. This hive is 6 weeks old. This time around I taped the inspection so I could show you what I see when I'm looking at them, in the hopes that someone could help me better understand it. Many of the cells are filled with a clear liquid that I am assuming is the sugar syrup I've been giving them.

Re: Anyone might be able to tell me what's going on with my hive?

Looks like you have a drone layer going on there. A drone laying worker most likely. All of those cells sticking out from the comb like bullets are drones.

I usually take one frame out and leave it out making manipulation of the remaining frames easier.

What's the plate for? Water? Nice art work on the top. Did you paint that?

I wish I had images of the last time I was in there. The last time I inspected, there was a lot more capped worker brood than there is this time. This time, there is practically none. I'm assuming they've all broken free by now. They were capped about 11 days ago. Is it possible that they've hatched and the queen just hasn't gotten back to laying again. As you can tell by the video, I don't really seem to have a lot of drawn comb at this point. So it seems like space is a hot commodity in this hive and there doesn't seem to be much room for laying right now. They have a lot of space filled with sugar syrup and pollen.

The plate is for water. The bees seem to like dirty rain water over anything else I provide, so I leave the plate on there and when it rains it gives them a water source.

Re: Anyone might be able to tell me what's going on with my hive?

Originally Posted by TrvVn5

This time, there is practically none. I'm assuming they've all broken free by now. They were capped about 11 days ago. Is it possible that they've hatched and the queen just hasn't gotten back to laying again. As you can tell by the video, I don't really seem to have a lot of drawn comb at this point. So it seems like space is a hot commodity in this hive and there doesn't seem to be much room for laying right now. They have a lot of space filled with sugar syrup and pollen.

The queen doesn't really take a break from laying, unless there is no pollen and nectar coming in. Also, were there a need for more comb, the bees would build it. You have everything they need right there for them to do so, so there must not be any pressure for them to draw comb.

what you see as a hot commodity because the cells are filled w/ pollen or nectar and not eggs and larvae is typical in a queenless/laying worker colony. There are more adult bees available to forage since they don't have to tend brood.

I predict this hive will continue to decline once the older workers have died and the younger workers have become field bees.

You need to buy a nuc and combine it w/ this colony or you won't have much of anything in about three to six weeks. Then wax moth will move in and destroy what comb you have. So, get crackin'.

Re: Anyone might be able to tell me what's going on with my hive?

I would suggest you push the frames to the center instead of against one side, and definitely pull the first frame completely and put it aside when doing inspection. Then pull the next frame away from the others before removing it -- the way you were pulling the frames will roll lots of bees, and it's easy to squish the queen by doing so. It's easier, too.

That first bit of smoke was all you needed, you would only need more if you have three or four boxes.

Since you only have one hive, I agree, a nuc and a combine is probably the best thing to do. You do need to verify the presence of a queen (she's either gone or a drone layer) and replace her, either with a caged queen or a nuc. A caged queen will be very difficult to introduce to a laying worker hive.

If you do have a queen, you can introduce a caged one after you pinch the one in the hive (the same day, get the new one first).

I started with one hive, should have made my own equipment and bought two hives to start with, it's MUCH easier!

Re: Anyone might be able to tell me what's going on with my hive?

I started with one hive 6 weeks ago. I am not as brave as handling without gloves as you are. My bees got angry and were flying all around while I manipulated the frames. I wouldn't dare wear shorts one already got under my jeans and I pinched her above my knee. She has made me decide to buy a suit. Cant offer any advise, except I also.wish I had bough more than the single hive. I'm booked though. I did get stung by a wasp today. I thought I was hit by lightning., bee sting doesn't hurt. I feel them., but no pain. Best of luck

Re: Anyone might be able to tell me what's going on with my hive?

There has already been a couple of comments about this, but you have got to pull a frame from one of the sides completely out of the hive and set it aside to give yourself more room. I cringed every time I saw you pull a frame. I have no doubt you rolled the queen in an earlier inspection if that is how you always pull your frames. If the queen is still in there, which I kinda doubt, she's injured and unable to perform her laying duties properly. Sorry if I seem a bit short or rude, I just want to make sure I express how important it is to pull frames properly. As for what to do with that hive I'd just wait for them to all die and start over. No need to risk a new queen getting killed by laying workers.

Re: Anyone might be able to tell me what's going on with my hive?

If 6 weeks old the first workers born would have been during the 4th week at best you can see where larva is in some of those cells on frames you showed and you still have some workers capped. If your queen is dead and there are no queen cells I would wait another week and see how they capped those cells with larva in them. Looks like they would have started a replacement queen if she were dead. Her first laid eggs could be all hatched and this week they could be fixing to capped the next batch. Looks like there were not many bees though. You had a couple of frames of capped honey on about 40% of one side I noticed.

Re: Anyone might be able to tell me what's going on with my hive?

Originally Posted by NUBE

There has already been a couple of comments about this, but you have got to pull a frame from one of the sides completely out of the hive and set it aside to give yourself more room. I cringed every time I saw you pull a frame. I have no doubt you rolled the queen in an earlier inspection if that is how you always pull your frames. If the queen is still in there, which I kinda doubt, she's injured and unable to perform her laying duties properly. Sorry if I seem a bit short or rude, I just want to make sure I express how important it is to pull frames properly. As for what to do with that hive I'd just wait for them to all die and start over. No need to risk a new queen getting killed by laying workers.

It's not rude at all. Believe me, I understand that I am completely new to this am happy to take all the suggestions/critcisms that anyone has to offer. I'd rather be a good beekeeper than a lazy one. The thing I find funny is that for all my intelligence I didn't even remotely think of doing that for my inspection. And I can't ever remember reading about it or seeing it in videos. But that's probably just selective memory.

Re: Anyone might be able to tell me what's going on with my hive?

No, I don't think there is anything wrong w/ your memory. "Proper" frame removal isn't noticably mentioned in books, as far as I know. And there are just as many techniques as there are beekeepers it seems at times.

You weren't doing anything WRONG persay, just, to lessen the possibilitry of queen rolling, you could have done it differently/better.

I commend you working in shorts, something I may have done once, but never again. I hate it when bees crawl up my pants legs. Imagine beekeeping in a kilt. Considering what is worn under a kilt,......., OUCH!!

Re: Anyone might be able to tell me what's going on with my hive?

Re: Anyone might be able to tell me what's going on with my hive?

Originally Posted by sqkcrk

No, I don't think there is anything wrong w/ your memory. "Proper" frame removal isn't noticably mentioned in books, as far as I know. And there are just as many techniques as there are beekeepers it seems at times.

You weren't doing anything WRONG persay, just, to lessen the possibilitry of queen rolling, you could have done it differently/better.

I commend you working in shorts, something I may have done once, but never again. I hate it when bees crawl up my pants legs. Imagine beekeeping in a kilt. Considering what is worn under a kilt,......., OUCH!!

I don't really mind getting stung in the legs. It really depends on the area that I get stung that it bothers me. Arms and face seem to be the worst for me. But I've been stung in the legs before and I barely even notice when it happens.

You may consider it brave, but there's actually a trick to those shorts. If you look closely you can see on the sides that they have drawstrings. So, the legs are actually synched shut so that no bees can go exploring around my nether regions. I'm brave when it comes to my bees for the most part, however I'm not so brave/stupid as to think that the odd sting to the scrotum wouldn't be horribly painful.

Re: Anyone might be able to tell me what's going on with my hive?

TrvVn5,

I live in southern NJ just over the Commodore Barry Bridge. I have 3 nucs that I started from splits back in May/early June and more queens scheduled to go on mating flights later this week. If you need a nuc you can pm me. I know Harrisburg is a bit of a hike but it might be a nice Sunday drive.
I'm strictly a hobbiest beekeeper in my 2nd year but have had great success. I started with 2 nucs last year and through capturing my own swarms and doing 1 cutout I'm up to 13 colonies.